NHSScotland Chief Executive's Annual Report

NHSScotland Chief Executive, Paul Gray, has today published his third annual report, looking at how the NHS performed during 2015/16.

The report reflects the significant achievements of NHSScotland in the last year as well as outlining the challenges that the health service continues to face.

Mr Gray said:

“NHSScotland is here to serve patients, families and communities. Our focus on quality therefore remains at the heart of everything we do. The achievements of the NHS and partners during 2015/16 are a tribute to the outstanding commitment of staff to deliver safe, person-centred and effective patient care.

“As my report highlights, the NHS in Scotland has come a long way this year. Our hospitals are safer, we are diagnosing more people with cancer earlier and innovative new healthcare treatments and technologies are being rolled out across the health service.

“Satisfaction with the NHS in Scotland remains high, with 90% of hospital inpatients who participated in the Scottish Inpatient Patient Experience Survey in 2015 reporting their overall care and treatment to be good or excellent and 87% who responded to the Health and Care Experience Survey 2015/16 rating the overall care provided by their GP practice as good or excellent.

“But we are far from complacent. I very much recognise the challenges and pressures, and that there is still much to do in tackling inequalities and improving the health of the population - which NHSScotland cannot do on its own. 

“Across the whole of our health and social care system, it’s important that we drive transformational change so that people have access to the best possible care when they do need it, and that we manage our resources efficiently and sustainably in pursuit of that aim.

“So, while challenges and pressures remain, I have confidence in the people working throughout NHS Scotland, and our partners, and I know that they are committed to delivering the best possible care for patients.

NHS Scotland Chief Executive’s Annual Report 2015/16 is available online: www.nhsscotannualreport.scot